Exploration of the Outer Heliosphere and the Local Interstellar Medium A Workshop Report (2004) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
1 Introduction
Pages 4-6
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1 and the solar wind is still not well understood, for reasons that range from incompletely formulated physical models to currently poor knowledge of many of the pertinent physical parameters of the LISM. For example, we do not know whether the LISM flow is super- or subfast magnetosonic or even whether it is supersonic or subsonic when galactic cosmic rays are included, which implies that we do not know the basic morphology of the heliosphere-that is, whether it is a two-shock model (bow shock plus termination shock; Baranov et al., 1971)
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Since neutral-atom/plasma charge-exchange mean free paths are very long compared with heliospheric length scales, simple equilibrium models of neutral hydrogen and plasma are an inadequate description for the boundary regions of our heliosphere. Exploring this vast and complex region are two venerable spacecraft launched more than 26 years ago that constitute the Voyager Interstellar Mission.2 Because the boundary regions (the boundaries themselves, the regions bounded by discontinuities, the hydrogen wall, the physics of the partially ionized plasma, and so forth)
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From page 6... ...
To explore the outer solar system for clues to its origin, and the nature of other planetary systems. A spacecraft for such explorations, such as Interstellar Probe,4 will require an advanced propulsion system as well as sophisticated communications and instrumentation, if we are to take our first halting steps to the edge of and beyond our solar system birthplace.5 These objectives are further elaborated in the chapters that follow.
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